One great thing about Quinta do Lago is that you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to eating out. My personal favourites include The Shack, Pure, Gigi’s, Bovino (not forgetting Four Seasons Fairways’ famous Piri Piri Chicken), however, one place we never fail to visit is Estaminé.
Located on a deserted island just 30mins boat ride from Faro, the restaurant not only delights the palate but is visually spectacular too, offering panoramic views over the dunes. Fish is purchased from the locals and preserving the environment is at the heart of the restaurant, it even runs on solar power!
But the food and specifically the seafood is why you visit. The most delicious, fresh, sumptuous fish you’ve ever tasted. And what’s more, they’re one of only a handful of restaurants in the area that are open year-round. Our most recent visit was at the end of November last year but you’d never guessed it from the weather – here are some pics to prove how utterly glorious it was.
And not only was the weather so spectacular, visiting in the quieter months mean you’re pretty much guaranteed a table so it’s win win. We always try and go with friends or family as it allows us to order a greater selection of dishes and share them between us. Often, we’ll be guided by the team as to what they recommend on the day but of course we have our favourites too. Most recently we tucked into a the Grilled Lobster, Gazpacho, ‘Beach Prawns’, Octopus Salad and the Grilled Fish of the Day.
With Estaminé’s unique location, it’s definitely worth allowing most of the day to enjoy the experience – we tend to grab a coffee in Faro before heading out to Ilha Deserta for a long, leisurely lunch. We then take a walk along the beach or around the island and inevitably a well-earned kip on the boat ride home.
